Prataprao Jadhav blames Sanjay Raut for Shiv Sena (UBT) instability

Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav has accused Sanjay Raut of orchestrating the decline of the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction through his aggressive rhetoric. As whispers of a potential mass defection under the moniker 'Operation Tiger' circulate, Jadhav insists the Rajya Sabha MP’s confrontational language is driving the party toward total collapse.

Editorial·June 18, 2026·reads: 3,153

Prataprao Jadhav blames Sanjay Raut for Shiv Sena (UBT) instability

The political friction coincides with rumors that seven of the nine Shiv Sena (UBT) Members of Parliament are exploring a jump to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. While the defectors remain unnamed, the speculation mirrors the 2022 internal split that fractured the organization. Jadhav, addressing the media, framed the turmoil as an internal crisis, noting that the status of the MPs' reported grievances now rests with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

Sanjay Raut, alongside MPs Arvind Sawant and Anil Desai, met with Birla in Delhi this week to address the mounting pressure. Despite the optics of the meeting, Raut remains defiant, publicly challenging any potential rebels to resign their seats and seek a fresh mandate from the electorate. The party leadership continues to dismiss reports of an impending exodus as tactical maneuvering by the ruling alliance, even as the internal strife threatens to overshadow the upcoming Shiv Sena Foundation Day celebrations.